Saturday, February 21, 2009

I am asked all the time, why don't you try something new? Why do you always return to Disney? My answer is always the same - I love it! I love that I am busy all week. I can eat at restaurants that I never have the opportunity to try here in NH. Seeing the castle still makes me a little teary-eyed everytime I make my way down Main Street. Plus, now that I have my children, their expressions and responses to everything around Walt Disney World just make me so happy. Even after returning home, they make me realize how special Walt Disney World is. Here are a few examples:

Joey is only 4, but whenever he sees a Disney vacation planning video or You Tube video of a ride he experienced, he can tell me exactly who went on that ride with him and whether or not he liked it. His favorite ride by far was the Tomorrowland Speedway. He did try out Test Track, which he says he liked. But if you ask him if he wants to go on it again, he will tell you that the fast race car made his belly hurt!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

I have traveled to Walt Disney World many times. Each time at a different stage in my life - as a child, newlywed, mom-to-be and a mom. I have traveled with friends and I have traveled with family. I traveled with just my husband, with a large group for a friend's wedding and a small group for a family reunion. Each trip has brought its own special memories that I wouldn't trade for the world. Plus, each trip has taught me valuable lessons for the next.

For our next trip, it will be myself, my husband and my three little ones. My oldest will be 5.5, my middle child will be almost 4, and my youngest will be 2.5 in April 2010. We are hoping that my parents, my brother, sister-in-law and nephew will join us. By then we would be a party of 10, though, hopefully, a party of 11! :-) We are also excited to invite my aunt and uncle, who have not been since 1982! They will be quite shocked at how much Disney World has changed since then. I don't know how they have kept themselves away for so long - I can hardly make it 2 years before I "need" to go back.

Friday, February 6, 2009

I am so excited that my free Disney Vacation planning DVD has finally arrived! I know that we are not going until 2010, but I still love to get the DVD every year and keep up to date with new things around Walt Disney World. If you are thinking of going, I would recommend ordering the vacation planning DVD. You can order it directly through the official Disney site, and it is free.

The DVD gives you the option of exploring Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Once you select the Walt Disney World Resort, it will take you to a segment including details about all four of the parks - Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. The clips of shows, rides and attractions are pretty short but give you an idea of what each one is about. For more detailed clips you can search You Tube for ride videos.

There is a "Recent Additions" section that shows what new attractions or shows they have added to the parks. It is a great way to keep up with Disney's constantly improving and changing parks and resorts.

The next section is "Water Parks & More." This section starts by showing clips from Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, the two water parks on property. We haven't been to either of the water parks but look forward to exploring Blizzard Beach on our next trip. They also show clips of Downtown Disney - my favorite shopping area in all of Walt Disney World - the Marketplace. If you are looking for anything Disney, you will find it here! And, if you don't find what you are looking for here, it probably doesn't exist!

The third section is "Cool Stuff for Kids." I was excited last year when they included this section, because I have 3 kids ages 4 and under. But I quickly realized that this section targets preteens/teens. It focuses on a lot of the thrill rides and other attractions to keep preteens/teens busy. I wish they would add a preschool section, but I guess they can't possibly accommodate EVERY age group, but I can dream! :-)

Next is a section called "Grown Up Fun." This section includes a lot of info about spas, restaurants, the deluxe resorts, golf and all those other types of activities for adults.

The final section is called "Vacation Planning." I love this section because I can watch short clips about every hotel on Disney property. When you are trying to decide which hotel to stay at, it gives you a great overview of what the resort looks like on the interior as well as exterior. In addition, it shows off what each resort has to offer as far as pools, restaurants, lounges and other activities. This section also includes a great overview of the seasonal events that Disney hosts each year, such as Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, EPCOT's Flower and Garden Festival and EPCOT's Food and Wine Festival to name just a few.

Of course, this DVD is loaded with information about Walt Disney World. It is a great place to start your planning. Plus, it is a nice way to introduce the rides and attractions to my children. I just love to watch it because it seems that no matter what I am talking about or doing, if it has to do with Disney, it makes me happy!